Beat Magazine, 27 May 1998, Andrew Mast writes:

VARIOUS - ORIGINAL SEEDS (Rubber/BMG)
This compilation is nothing short of enlightening and exhilarating.
It is a collection of songs that have either been covered by or
inspiration for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds (similar to compilations 
tracing The Cramps' song roots). A cynical marketing gimmick to 
fleece Cave fans? Yeah, but a better collection of songs you'll be 
hard pushed to find this year.

There are the obvious inclusions of melancholy balladeers Leonard Cohen 
(Avalanche), Scott Walker (The Big Hurt) and Johnny Cash (The Folk
Singer) and there are some surprises and learning experiences. The surprises:
camp 70s rockers The Sensational Alex Harvey Band appearance with the
rather gothic Hammer Song, Tom Jones' eery country pop version of Weeping
Annaleah and all eighteen minutes of Isaac Hayes' epic reading of 
By The Time I Get To Phoenix (he obviously took the long way) standing
the test of time. The learning experiences: discovering the lived-in croon of Tim
Rose (Long Time Man), Karen Dalton's fragile folk rendition of Katie Cruel
being gobsmackingly astounding and the name Lefty Frizzell sounded like a bad
punch-line until hearing his truckin' styled Long Black Veil.

Also here is the screechabilly of Gene Vincent (Cat Man), the gloomy art
rock of The Loved Ones (Sad Dark Eyes), the funky gospel Oh Happy Day as
arranged by Edwin Hawkins and the traditional working song Another Man Done Gone
performed by Odetta accompanied by no more than her own handclaps.
Rounding it out are classics from John Lee Hooker, Blind Willie Johnson (a recording
from 1929) and Serge Gainsbourg. The research that went into compiling this album
was meticulous and is reflected in the informative liner notes (they will
power you up with fodder for a decade's worth of music trivia conversations). This is
a must buy for anyone that ever wanted to hear all the originals of the songs
Cave covered so well on Kicking Against The Pricks (not all are tackled here but it's
a start and the liner notes hint toward a second volume). Hell, it's also a
cheap way to pick up Isaac Hayes' music now that his role in South Park has upped
the value of his back catalogue. (10/10)  ANDREW MAST